Bolsters for spinning frames



July 24, 1956 1.. M. COTCHETT BOLSTERS FOR SPINNING FRAMEs Filed March 15, 1952 United States Patent BOLSTERS FOR SPINNING FRAMES Louis M. Cotchett, Whitman, Mass.

Application March 13, 1952, Serial No. 276,273

3 Claims. (Cl. 308-456) This invention relates to an improved bolster for use in connection with the spindles of spinning and twisting machines.

In a conventional spinning or twister frame the upright spindle blade is commonly supported in the spindle base for rotation about its own axis by means of a removable bearing member, the bolster, which is a sleeve equipped with a step bearing in which the lower end or foot of the spindle rests, and which bolster provides lateral support and takes the downward thrust created by both the spindle and the load which it carries. Usually the spindle is made of steel and the bolster of cast iron or other rigid material requiring continuous lubrication, which is customarily provided by immersing the bolster and cooperating parts of the spindle in a bath of oil contained in the-spindle base into which the bolster and spindle foot fit. The level of this oil bath is customarily slightly below the top of the bolster.

The circulation of the oil is promoted by the rotation of the portion of the spindle within the bolster drawing the oil in through lateral holes in the bolster, the oil traveling upward to pass between the spindle and the lateral bearing surface provided by the inside wall of the bolster at its top portion. --Immediately above the top of the bolster, but still inside the base, is an oil sling which extends about the spindle blade to prevent the oil from continuing its progress up the spindle by slinging such oil off against the sides of the base, when it is returned by gravitation back into the oil fount through the longitudinal oil-return grooves cut in the outside of the top end of the bolster.

The spindle is commonly loosely mounted with respect to the spindle base, by provision of clearance between the bolster and base. The bolster is constructed in the form of a tube open at both ends, with the step thereof formed as a cylinder h'aving an axial passage in its top end extending throughout about half its length for the reception of the pointed foot of the spindle, the other half of the cylinder being made solid. In spinning practice, this step is made materially smaller in outside diameter than the bore of the bolster, and is loosely mounted in the bottom end of the latter by a pin fixed diametrically through the bolster and passing through an oversized hole in the solid lower portion of the step. The loose mounting permits lateral movement of the step relative to the bolster and this combined with the loose mounting of the bolster in the base permits the spindle to accommodate the never precisely centered load of bobbin and yarn by rotating about the center of mass of the combined spindle and load. Without some such means to permit the spindle to find its Wanted rotational center slightly eccentric to the axis of the spindle at its foot, high spindle speeds are impossible. The loose mounting of the step also permits relative up-and-down motion of the bolster and step.

Extremely rapid vibration of the loose parts, chiefly the loose step, is caused by this centering action. In the case of cast iron bolsters, and more frequently in the 2,756,117 Patented July 24, 1956 case of bolsters made of nylon and other low friction synthetic materials which are far lighter than cast iron, the bolster tube, which in neither case is held down against the bottom of the base, rises away from the bottom of the spindle base as far as permitted by its loose connection with the step. This leaves a clearance between the bottom of the bolster and the bottom of the base. When this happens, the loose step, rocking and vibrating at a rate up to 600 strokes per second, pumps a relatively large amount of oil from within the bolster out from under the raised lower end of the bolster and up the outside of the bolster. The attendant churning of the oil into froth and increase in volume amplifies this upward flow, which rises against the normal return flow of the oil down the longitudinal oil grooves in the bolster, causing the oil rising along the spindle blade inside the bolster to be not only deterred from its normal return to the fount, but to be supplemented by the oil rising on the outside of the bolster so that such augmented accumulation of oil rises above the oil sling and escapes from the top of the base. This is commonly termed in the mills oil pumping, and may exhaust the oil from the spindle assembly very quickly, being one of the commonest causes of oil loss from spindles and of the consequent requirement of frequent lubrication. Such bolsters as thus run dry wear very rapidly.

The invention makes special provision for prevention of adverse counterfiow caused by vibration of the whole bolster and resulting frothing. These troubles are mainly caused by the cross-pin, which permits complete freedom of movement of the loose step in directions along the pins axis, but restricts all horizontal motion or components thereof at right angles to such axis, since the rotation of the spindle and oil entrained thereby tends to rotate the step and holds one side of each extremity of the passage through the step against the sides of the pin. The resulting vibration and oil pumping has been found to be the least when the cross-pin is disposed at right angles to the pull of the driving tape. The bolster itself is held from rotation by the usual spring clip fitting into a vertical groove in the bolster and into a corresponding groove provided inside the spindle base after the manner shown in Patent 2,410,388. However, in installing the spindle bases in the bolster rail of the spinning frame, mill men exercise their preference as to the angle of presentation of the filler spouts of the spindle bases to facilitate reoiling, or to avoid injury to the spouts by collision with passing trucks, and for other reasons, with the result that the forgotten cross-pin is often disposed in improper angular relation to the pull of the tape, with consequent bad performance of the spindles and pumping of oil.

I have provided a structure which attains equal freedom of transverse movement of the foot step in all directions in a horizontal plane, and thus have contrived a bolster which does not have to be oriented at any definite angle to the pull of the tape. To do this, the bolster has an eccentric surface or non-cylindrical portion formed thereon or in connection therewith, which engages with a corresponding eccentric or non-cylindrical surface on the step to hold it from rotation. Preferably, I form the step with a square or other equilateral polygonal socket in its bottom end, into which fits a correspondingly shaped axially extending hub of a plug fixed in the bottom end of the passage through the bolster. The fit of the hub in its socket is made sufiicie'ntly loose to permit the full range of gyration of the step needed to allow the spindle and its load to center themselves during rotation, while holding the step securely against rotation within the bolster.

Other objects and advantages of the invention, and their manner of attainment, are as set forth hereinafter.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows in axial sectionia bolster embodying the invention, with step and bottom plug, a portion of a spindle being shown in the bolster in running position.

Fig. 2 is an axial section of the bolster alone of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the bolster of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an axial section, and Fig. 5 a bottom view, of the novel step used in the form of Fig. 1.

Figs. 6 and 7 are axial section and bottom views, respectively, of the bottom plug. of Fig. 1.

The drawings show a preferred construction which avoids the necessity of orienting the bolster with the crosspin at right angles to the pull of the driving tape. The cross-pin is eliminated, and as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the step 31 is formed with a recess 33 of square section in its bottom end. This recess is occupied by the hub 35 of a plug 37 having a flange. 39 which is cemented, pressfitted, or otherwise fixed in the bottom end of a stepchamber 41 formed in body43 of the bolster. This hub is of square section corresponding to that of recess 33, but is made sufficiently smaller in section to provide clearance permitting the full extent or more of gyration of the step 31 conventionally allowed by the usual loose fit of the pinned step. However, engagement of the sides ofrecess 33 with the facets or corners of the square hub prevents relative rotation of the step, but permits equal freedom of transverse movement of the step in all.

directions with respect to both the hub 35 and the bolster wall.

This method of mounting the step in the bolster does more than permit the spindle base to be turned to any position in the bolster rail to suit the preference of the mill without increasing the vibration and oil pumping. As indicated, this vibration and oil pumping is present even when the cross-pin is disposed at right angles to the pull of the driving tape, because the pin practically bars movement of the step transversely of the pins axis. By dispensing with the pin, the invention structure substantially. eliminates the transmission of all vibration to the bolster body, resulting in a steadier bolster and thus in reducing frothing of the oil, with markedly better oil retention.

This feature, while applicable to any type of bolster requiring a loose-lock step, is of special value in connection withthe types of bolsters providing controlled oil circulation. With the bolster steady in the spindle base, the frothing and rising of the oil around the outside of the bolster is obviated or minimized, thus eliminating this impediment to the desired circulation up inside the bolster and down outside the bolster.

The bottom plug 37 is provided with a central passage 45 and a diametrical groove 47 communicating therewith and registering with notches 48 in the bottom rim of stepchamber 41, to admit oil beneath the bolster and into the rectangular recess 33 within step 31. The spindle rest 49 is provided with two eccentric bores 51 to feed oil to the beveled foot 53 of the spindle 55 which impels such oil centrifugally and thence up inside the bolster past the bearing surface 57 near the top of the bolster.

The bolster body 43 shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is made of molded plastic material such as nylon, has no oil ports in its wall, and has a perforated metallic sleeve 59 imbedded in its component material and surrounding the lateral bearing surface 57 which is in engagement with the spindle blade. This sleeve resists change of dimension and shape of bearing surface 57, absorbs and dissipates heat from the bearing surface, and provides an annular discharge port 61 just below the top of the bolster venting the oil rising about the spindle into the oil fount inside the spindle base. The extreme top of the bolster is formed by a collar 63 of the component plastic material or of any other preferred material molded onto the perforated sleeve 59, anchored by intrusions of the plastic into the holes through the sleeve, and provided with an inwardly extending flange 65 fitting fairly tightly but elastically (by reason of the resilience of the plastic material) against the spindle just below the shoulder 67 serving as the oil sling. Thus, the positive oil pressure impelling the oil up along the spindle is relieved by the annular port 61, and any oil creeping up to the top of the bolster is checked by lip 65 Wiping against the spindle. The oil sling shoulder 67, located below the top of the spindle base as usual, acts as a third safeguard against escape of oil. The usual vertical grooves (not shown) for the return of oil and for the key which holds the bolster from rotation in the spindle base, are provided in the boss 69 surrounding the lateral bearing surface 57.

While I have illustrated and described certain forms in which the invention may be embodied, I am aware that many modifications may be made therein by any person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the particular forms shown, or to the details of construction thereof, but what I do claim is:

1. In combination, a spindle, a bolster in lateral bearing engagement with the spindle and having a tubular body adapted to be mounted in non-rotating relation in a spindle base, a member fixed in the bottom of the bolster having an upstanding peripheral equilateral polygonal surface, and a step loosely fitting within the bolster having a corresponding internal polygonal surface loosely fitting over and around the polygonal surface on the fixed member preventing the step from rotating in the bolster.

2. A spindle bolster having in combination a tubular body, a loose step therein having a surface forming a spindle rest and having a recess of polygonal section and also having passages leading from such recess through the said surface, and a member also of polygonal section loosely fitting such recess while preventing relative rotation of the step and itself fixed to the body and having a passage communicating with the recess and with the outside of the bolster.

3. In combination, a rotatable spindle, a bolster in lateral bearing engagement with the spindle, a member fixed in the bottom end of the bolster and having a concentrically disposed polygonal hub extending upward axially of the bolster, and a step bearing loose in the bolster having a conical socket for the conical end of the spindle and a polygonal socket corresponding in shape to the hub and loosely fitting over and around the hub so as to permit the full range of gyration of the step bearing needed to allow the spindle to center itself during rotation, while holding the step hearing from rotation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 590,320 Kilburn Sept. 21, 1897 701,709 Gihon June 3, 1902 863,284 Keen Aug. 13, 1907 2,034,670 Stahlecker Mar. 17, 1936 2,044,890 Reddie June 23, 1936 2,104,216 Albrecht Jan. 4, 1938 2,119,990 Hilton June 7, 1933 2,351,951 Gleitz June 20, 1944 2,410,388 Neal Oct. 29, 1946 2,611,666 Hoffmann Sept. 23, 1952 2,622,949 Cotchett Dec. 23, 1952 

